SYRIA SHOULD BE PRESSURED TO FREE ITS HOSTAGES-JEWS

Mitchell Bard, policy analyst at the University of California at Irvine, is working on a book about the politics behind the rescue of Ethiopian JewsCHICAGO TRIBUNE

The Reagan administration recently announced plans to re-establish diplomatic relations with Syria. This coincided with the release of Charles Glass and the Syrians` claims to have helped free the kidnaped newsman. Although the administration announced that its decision was unrelated to the release of Glass, it is clear that one of the reasons for the improvement in relations is the perception that Syria has tried to obtain the release of American hostages.

That the Syrians have failed in most cases is blamed on their not knowing where the hostages are or who is holding them. This may be true, but there are other hostages whom the Syrians are holding and, in fact, have been holding for years, who could be released tomorrow if they were pressured to do so. I am referring to the Jews of Syria.

Jews lived in what is now Syria for centuries, and as late as 1947 there was still a community of 45,000. After the founding of Israel, this community was subjected to riots and pogroms, but most Jews escaped to Israel or the United States. In more recent years, the number of Jews has dwindled to about 4,500. About 3,000 live in Damascus, 1,200 in Aleppo, and 300 in Kamishli.

Very little information is available about the Jews of Syria because of the tightly run dictatorship of Hafez Assad. When Western reporters have been allowed to see them, as was the case a few years ago when a ''60 Minutes''

crew was admitted, the Syrians make sure nothing is said or done to indicate any discrimination toward the Jews.

It is known, however, that all Jews are required to carry identity papers indicating they are Jews and that there are restrictions on their behavior, use of property and movement. For example, Syrian Jews are not permitted to inherit property; it is taken by the state when the Jewish property-holder dies. There are synagogues still open in Syria, but they reportedly are watched by the secret police. Jews must sign out before leaving one city and report to police upon arriving in another. There is little doubt that the community would emigrate en masse to Israel if given the chance, but the Syrian government prohibits them from leaving.

One of the most serious problems facing the community is the shortage of eligible males. There are an estimated 500 women of marriageable age who are unable to find mates and are prevented from going abroad to join relatives or seek mates. This is a slow but effective way for the Syrians to exterminate a Jewish community without attracting attention.

Severing diplomatic relations with a nation is a useful tactic for signaling dissatisfaction with a regime, but it makes it difficult to exert influence in the long run. Thus, resuming ties with Syria is not necessarily a bad idea. However, the U.S. should take advantage of this improvement in relations by insisting that the Syrians not only continue to work for the release of American hostages in Lebanese hands, but also immediately release the Jewish hostages they hold. That would be a real indication that the Assad regime has changed.